Ohio Transit Agency Transitions to Clean Hydrogen: A Step Towards Sustainability
Key Ideas
- Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) in Ohio aims to transition to a cleaner fuel source by establishing a federally funded clean hydrogen hub.
- SARTA currently operates 22 hydrogen fuel-cell buses, reducing air pollution in Canton neighborhoods with only water vapor and warm air exhaust.
- By partnering with energy company Enbridge and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub, SARTA plans to produce hydrogen on-site with solar power, reducing emissions and costs.
- The project, funded by federal grants, aims to install solar panels to generate electricity for an electrolysis facility that will split water into oxygen and hydrogen, doubling SARTA's hydrogen supply and enhancing transit system resiliency.
The article discusses the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) in Canton, Ohio, which operates one of the nation's largest hydrogen-powered transit fleets. With 22 hydrogen fuel-cell buses, SARTA is seeking to transition to a cleaner and local fuel source by establishing a federally funded clean hydrogen hub. While the hydrogen buses emit only water vapor and warm air, producing and transporting hydrogen can contribute to climate emissions. To address this, SARTA is partnering with Enbridge and the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub to produce hydrogen on-site using solar power. This initiative aims to reduce emissions, costs, and reliance on imported hydrogen made from natural gas. The project, awarded up to $925 million in funding, involves installing solar panels to power an electrolysis facility that splits water into oxygen and hydrogen. Enbridge would own the hydrogen production and storage equipment. By doubling SARTA's hydrogen supply, the project targets to enhance the transit system's resiliency and contribute to U.S. energy independence goals. Although President Trump's threatened tariffs on Canadian hydrogen could impact costs, SARTA remains committed to the project. Despite some skepticism about fuel-cell buses' efficacy compared to electric or biodiesel options, SARTA aims to complete domestic hydrogen production by 2028, marking a significant step towards sustainability.
Topics
South America
Renewable Energy
Clean Energy
Infrastructure
Technology
Sustainability
Carbon Emissions
Federal Funding
Transit
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